Today feels like one of those days which will stick in my memory for the rest of my life. I’m going to have a wheelchair.
My expectations with the wheelchair service where pretty muted. Maybe they would provide a transfer chair. Just something to help me move from the front door to the truck. I wasn’t even sure I’d qualify because I can toe walk around the flat if I hold onto the walls.
In the end it was almost the exact opposite. Offered a power chair straight after the assessment.
As we broke down the issues it became clear a power chair is the only option which meets all my needs.
Putting aside movement a moment, I need somewhere to sit which can hold me in a reclined position to manage the pain, but also switch to an active position for eating or using a table. This is true at home and outside.
The only chairs which can automatically tilt and recline are power chairs. As a happy side effect that also means I can then use the power chair function to independently go to places like the cafe.
I can walk about 5 steps before I end up on my toes and holding on to the wall. I can then toe walk further, but even toe walking stops being effective at the end of my path. I run out of walls to hold on to.
The power chair is essentially a better version of the pashley trike. A way to go further than the end of my path.
After the assessment my emotions where really mixed. It was a welcome surprise. But equally a really big change.
I had to sit with my emotions for a moment and then allow myself to want a world bigger than 5 steps. I can see how eventually a power chair can open up a much larger world. With my eyes opened to what’s possible it’s now something I am excited about it.
The assessor has a little bit of paperwork to do with my GP to confirm I can safely operate a power chair, but once that’s done the chair will go into the queue to be made. It’s an off the shelf item and the assessor said it should happen quickly.
The power chair is essentially a long tent loan It’s an experiment to see if It helps. If I find I don’t need it in the future I can return it and they will reuse it for someone else.
Today was very surreal. We’ve been focusing on pain management for a while now as it’s critical to keeping my mood stable and my life flowing. If the new chair does nothing other than provide me a safe comfortable place to sit and work then it’s already delivered huge value. Everything else is a bonus. A really amazing bonus.
